Maybe it's time we sat down and thought about a clear and shared meaning of spoiler, so that we can define what our behaviour should be.
I will set out some examples, and give my opinion. Then I will open a poll and we can vote.
A ruling opinion from Ziroc, which must have had previous experiences, would be really appreciated.
Ex. 1)
Thread title: "Daedric crescent" by sh40l1n.m0nk
IMO the title isn't a spoiler - all you can understand is that in the game there is something called a daedric crescent. I think however that, given the content of the first post, the title should read "Daedric crescent - spoilers"
ex. 2)
Quote:
Thread: pathfinding **spoilers** (by Vedram)
Originally posted by Vedram:
have a mod that brings a follower (Jessica) in the game. It is good, she is not too overpowered (as far as I can tell), but there comes the problem.
I was exploring the ruins of Arkghthand (or whatever) and found the puzzle box.
(...)
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Two remarks: A) the reference to the puzzle box and Arkghtand isn't a spoiler IMO: unless you know what they are, you won't understand it.
b)the reference to the follower isn't IMO a spoiler as well: you simply get to know that there is a mod which gives you a follower. IMO threads about mods shouldn't be considered spoiling if they simply state what the mod does - talking about single mod quests counts as spoiling.
So, IMO, the thread shouldn't be included in the spoiling category. If we start labeling every single thread as spoiler, we might as well close the forum.
ex. 3)
Quote:
Originally posted by The Slayer
You get your own residence when you become high rank in a Great House, either Telvanni, Hlaalu or Redoran. If you want a house earlier on in the game you can always just take over an empty house. If you join the Balmora Guild of Fighters you will get a quest to slay someone in town - that leaves a good house empty for use.
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Is this a spoiler? IMO, yes, although slight: a slight spoiler label should have been put up. The post gives away info about the fact that you will get a manor and a fighter guild quest, even though it doesn't give many details.
ex. 4)
Quote:
Originally posted by me:
How to cheat merchants:
buying: high merchant skill will rape them into giving away their goods for two cents.
selling: the sales are bugged- the higher the disposition, the lower price you can get when you sell. Unless you drop the disposition of the merchant towards you. At disp 100, merch 100 you can sell at about 1/8 of the value. At disp 30 merch 100 you can sell at full price.
How do you lower disp? Just ask an impossible price for anything - and keep bargaining (and get refusals) for a while. then click cancel. You will notice the disp has dropped. barter again and get a good price. the effect isn't permanent - if you click goodbye and then talk to the char again, the disp will be as high as it was in the beginning.
Beware: don't drop the disp under 30, otherwise the merch will refuse to trade and you will need to bribe/admire him.
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Is this a spoiler? I described a way of tackling a known bug in the merchantile skill in a thread which asked how the said skill worked. IMO posts that describe general gaming tactics like this shouldn't be labeled as spoilers.
ex. 5)
Quote:
Originally posted by me:
I know, you get fortify skill by retrieving all the threads of the webspinner. (...)
(another thread)
The big guy is Orvas Dren himself, but he won't attack you on sight, unless maybe when you are trying to become Hortator or Grandmaster of House Hlaalu. In those cases some personality clashes might arise, I suppose, although I have never tried that - the guy was already dead and armor-stripped at the time
(note that Orvas Dren had been named before, and the thread asked for spoilers)
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IMO this way of hinting at things without revealing is always possible. All the reader can get is curious and puzzled.
ex.6)
Quote:
Originally posted by me:
That's because in fact the [artifact name] is a legion armor stolen to their chief (knight of the dragon) by a rogue legionary...
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Now this is a SPOILER. I am sorry I have written this (I have now deleted it, although it's a bit late). I should have formatted the thread properly.
OK, This was hard but it's done. Vote in the poll.